This Friday I was given a fantastic going-away present by my good friend and co-worker Sarah Ives. Her grandfather Norman Ives was a brilliant artist and designer. He created beautiful designs by layering, fragmenting, and cropping letterforms. Sarah and her family have many Ives originals and it saddens me that I never was able to purchase one while living close to the family in Santa Fe. Norman Ives and his contemporaries are truly an inspiration to me.

The Ives still have a huge collection of the original wood type he frequently used. Sarah dug up all the characters in my name and gave them to me. Letterpress wood type from the collection of one of my idols?! Such a fitting and well thought out gift. Especially since I am off to Reading to study type and design.

Again, thank you Sarah. Amazing.

A few of Ives' designs are below along with a short bio from MidCenturia –

American artist, designer and teacher Norman Ives (1923-1978) studied under Josef Albers and Herbert Matter as a member of the inaugural class of Yale University's Graphic Design program. Upon his graduation from the program in 1952 he was invited to become a member of its faculty, eventually becoming a full professor in 1972. During the 1950's he worked with Herbert Matter on various design projects including those for the New Haven Railroad and Knoll International. Ives' artistic works included paintings, collages, prints and bas-reliefs which often incorporated fragmented letterforms.